ouch, a blistered butt

I saw this quote today and thought it rings so true of the upcoming election day. so many people want this "change" put aren't willing to put in the time to figure out what the state of things are now, remember what they were or contemplate what they might become. We aren't focused on a specific change for our nations future, but just this random, change. People, demanding that "something needs to be done" but not really knowing or caring what that something is.

It's a frightening prospect of what "change" could really quite mean to this nation. There is so much at stake for this election and the future of our children and grandchildren. I am praying that people really stop and read the facts and dig a little deeper into the choice they will make on Tuesday. Hopefully we will not have to look for someone to heal the blisters that might form on our proverbial behinds.

 

"Elections belong to the people.

It is their decision.

If they decide to turn their back

on the fire and burn their behinds,

then they will just have to sit on their blisters."

~Abraham Lincoln

 

Tea Anyone?

This is the cutest thing, the other morning R took a shower, so when she was out, I sent he off to her room to get dressed... This is what I found. R, no naked shots included, was having a tea party and Cali was the guest of honor. What a great sport! She must have really enjoyed her tea b/c when I came home from work at the end of the day, I found the purple tea pot in the picture a bit chewed. Or should I say, used!

 

 

 

Awana Costume Party

Tonight was our costume party at Awana. There were so many great ideas that the kids had and the outfits they came in. P and R both were picked for one of the winners in the Sparks and Cubbies group for best costume. I was really shocked since P wore his Pikachu costume and R wore the White Lion costume from J when he was little. Maybe it was the little dollups of face paint they had or the cute smiles, but they both received BIG HUGE bars of Kit Kats for mommy and daddy. Oh, I mean for them :0) J was Batman and I actually thought he looked really good with his "big" muscles! And then there is the biggest child of all, me! I was the Wicked Witch of the West and I'd have to say, minus the "regular" broom everyone got a kick out of, I did pretty good.

 

 

 

You Are God's Pumpkin

I found this today on my e-mail and was thinking about me being the squishy little seed inside the pumpkin. But then I had to smile b/c after I just ate a ton of seeds the other day, it reminded me of how God takes the squishy little seed and makes me clean and drys me out so I can become yummy. It reminded me to praise God for how great he has made me and how thankful I am for his willingness to fix the squishiness.

I think when we carve pumpkins tonight I will read this to the kids to remind them of this principle.

You Are God's Pumpkin
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you boast, boast only about the Lord."—1 Corinthians 1:30-31

For most of the country, the crisp cool air of autumn is upon us. A sure sign of autumn is that Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere in retail stores. Halloween costumes and disguises are sold out from shops as trick-or-treaters are ready to take over the streets. A popular symbol of both harvest time and Halloween is the pumpkin. I was thinking recently that being a Christian is a lot like being a pumpkin. Perhaps you are visualizing this orange, round vegetable and wondering how you could ever be compared to one of these squashes! Simply put, like a child chooses a pumpkin to carve and mold an image upon, so God carves and molds His own unique design in you.

The Scriptures tell us that the Lord chooses us. He lifts us up and washes the dirt from our skin. Then he opens us, connecting deep inside to scoop out all the slimy, yucky stuff, including seeds of doubt, spite, lies, fear, etc. Then He carves a new creation, and makes our faces shine by putting His light inside for all to see.

Sometimes I feel like I don't want my light to shine because I am ashamed of a thought or action or pattern in my life. I try to hide the light Christ has put in me, and blend in with the crowd. What I forget is that when God carved me, created me, and gave me His Son, I no longer had to count on my own strength. I can count on the Lord's. It is He who washes me clean; it is He who gives me a spirit of strength and perseverance; it is He who makes me pure; it is He who frees me from sin; and it is He who gives me hope. When I realize that my part of the equation is to rely on His strength and power, then I can do as Scriptures say, and shine His light through the power of the Holy Spirit.

What starts as an everyday squash turns into a lantern of light. What starts as an everyday person turns into a beacon of hope for all to see. At times, it is hard to imagine that we can be cleansed through Jesus. As the Scripture says, Christ has made us right with God. He has purified us and freed us from sin. Through our union with Christ, we are given the light and wisdom of the Holy Spirit who enters and dwells in our lives. It is He who picked you out and carved you just the way He wants you. So make sure you keep your lantern lit for all to see.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What sins are in your life that you need to release and allow the Lord to scoop out for you?

2. Each time you see a pumpkin this autumn, think through why it is so important for you to be a vessel of light representing our Lord.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 19:7-10; Colossians 2:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

2008 Edition - About Me

1.  What time did you get up this morning?  5:45am

2.  Diamonds or pearls?  diamonds first, then pearls

3.  Last movie you saw at the cinema? Kung Fu Panda

4.  What is your favorite TV show?  Brothers & Sisters, Greys Anatomy, ER

5.  What do you usually have for breakfast? Oatmeal & Yogurt

6.  What is your middle name? Marie

7.  What food do you dislike?  Mushrooms

8.  What is your favorite CD?  i pod shuffle, there are too many to name.


9.  What kind of car do you drive? Dodge Grand Caravan

10.  Favorite sandwich?  Turkey

11.  What characteristic do you despise? hypocritical


12.  Favorite item of clothing? sweatshirt, zip up with a hood


13.  If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? 
      Alaska

14.  Favorite brand of clothing? don't have one Gap


15.  Where would you retire to? south western state. hot and dry.


16.  Your most memorable birthday? last year. i turned 29, not 30!

17.  Favorite sport to watch? Cubbies and Bears


18.  Furthest place you are sending this? chi town


19.  Person you expect to send it back first? ?


20.  When is your birthday? January 30

21.  Are you a morning glory or a night owl? night owl


22.  What is your shoe size? 6
 

23.  Pets? 1 puppy, 1 fish


24.  Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I just ran the Chicago Marathon

25.  What did you want to be when you were little? veteranerian


26.  How are you today? sore, working out hurts


27.  What is your favorite candy? kit kat, heath bar


28.  What is your favorite flower? peoney


29.  What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Halloween


30.  What is your favorite pastime? reading, taking pictures, eating


31.  What are you doing right now? eating lunch

 
32.  What was the last thing you ate?  ham sandwich and greek salad.

33.  Do you wish on stars?  No

34.  If you were a crayon, what color would you be? blue or green


35.  How is the weather right now? very sunny but very fooling because it is so stinking  cold and windy


36.  The first person you spoke to on the phone today? jim

37.  Favorite soft drink?  iced tea

38.  Favorite restaurant?  sushi places and mexican food


39.  Natural hair color? brown


40.  What was your favorite toy as a child? my bike


41. Summer or winter?  definetly summer

42.  Hugs or kisses?  Hugs

43.  Chocolate or Vanilla?  vanilla

44.  Coffee or tea? neither - both


45. Do you want your friends to email you back?  if they want, there are many of these
      out there


46.  When was the last time you cried?  Listening to the "angel cowboy" Youtube (ME TOO! This morning) and, watching the Jennifer Hudson family tradgidy unfold. How awful :0(


47.  What is under your bed? kids clothes that will one day be made into a memory quilt... when I have time! LOL!

48.  What did you do last night? watched office space and helped the kids do homework


49.  What are you afraid of?  spiders

50.  Salty or sweet?  both

51.  How many keys on your key ring? 2

52.  Favorite day of the week? Saturday


53..  How many towns have you lived in?  1

54.  Do you make friends easily?  yes


55.  How many people will you send this to? a few

56.  How many will respond? not so many

Jimmy's Hand

 

all's well that ends well

WHEW! that's the word I would use to describe this weekend.

as fast as the wind was blowing on sunday is as fast as this weekend went for me!

friday j had his mom watch the kids so he could play in a tournament in in. so when i got home from work , i had to got out to her house and pick them us. we ended up meeting at the mall and we went to dinner (which was nice, we tried a new sushi place at woodfield) and i ended up buying the kids new shoes.

sat. i went for my blood test to find out what foods i might be allergic or intolerant to, then we took cali to the dog beach. WOW! what fun! I cannot wait to go back. she did so good with the other dogs. a few times she seemed a bit aprehensive, and when more than 3 or 4 dogs would run and sniff at her, she looked a bit skittish, but she shook it off and really enjoyed running from one end of the beach to the other.

so the dog beach is really where all the fun began.

we were about ready to leave (of course, it's always when your leaving) when r screams, "Mom! J is bleeding! Come quick" so i run over and see his hand just dripping blood. turns out, p found a piece of glass and picked it up to throw it away. when j saw him with the glass, he tried to grab it from him thinking he shouldn't have it, and p pulled it away. so wham, bam, slice, and j has a nice sized cut on his finger. perfect.

well, lucky for us, there was a paramedic parked at the beach and we knocked on his window. he gave us gauze and cleaned it out and said, "yep, looks like he'll need a few stitches."

we at that moment, notice cali near the water and (this is again, an "of course" moment) watch as she jumps into the water after being afraid of it the whole time we were there! haha! so much for getting out of there quick. so we get the wet and sandy family piled into the van and head home.

after a fun and exciting trip to the doctor, after x-rays and singing on the hospital bed and taking a ton of pictures of the wound, j ended up with 6 stitches and i big smile to prove he was such a trooper!

so, not to be out done by a busy morning, on to a birthday party we go. there was an animal show there and p got to hold a hissing cockaroach and j got a tarantula placed on his head and a big python around his neck. r was just perfectly happy petting the fox and chinchilla that came by. my favorite was the capuchin monkey that had a crush on me. he kept jumping on me and hugging my head, but i think he was trying to get to the table with the bead and the wine!

sunday was nice, but busy again. after church and explaining the story of the stitches a few hundred times, we grocery shopped and went to grandma j's with cali. it was nice to spend time with her this weekend.

wow, so as fast as the weather changed from sun, to hail to rain to wind yesterday, was as fast as the weekend went. bye bye. and hello week!

Free Tacos for America!

NO WAY! FREE TACOS! SIGN ME UP! 

 

 

 

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wedding photos

My friend A got married this weekend. she moved to FL almost 10 years ago and met a really great guy.

The wedding was the weekend of the marathin so I was not able to go, but here are a few pics.

Isn't she pretty?

Her daughter L is J's age and she is just the cutest thing.

I am hoping they make it back to Chicago during snow season so the kids can play. L can't remember what snow looks like.

I wish them a happy and blessed life with each other. Congratulations A!

chuck the bat

who knew Payton was such a great artist?

I have been so impressed with the drawings he has been bringing home from school this year. This bat, Chuck, kind of looks like he could be Larry Boy's cousin. Payton said he sleeps upside down and he likes to play ball.

He is also friends with and owl named Nalun.

26.2 completed

I ran the Chicago Marathon (26.2 miles) on October 12, 2008.

Thanks for supporting my run. You are a part of bringing clean water to

Zambia, Africa through Team World Vision.

Thanks again and God Bless!

early in the morning, aka, the crack of dawn.

having fun. all smiles before 5 miles!

getting tackled by jimmy. go mom!

(now he has already asked this question 4 other times)

"Dad, when are we going to see mom again?"

here I am. 11.5 miles and still smiling. today is a good day!

oh to be small and tired.

ok, now this is really tired. the kid is sleeping on a water bottle!

where's Payton? Mile 21 and I didn't see my boy.

this is my favorite picture of the whole day. I love it!

What dedication on my family's part to stick it out for me and the kids we are helping in Africa. Blessings come in all shapes and sizes. And in all forms.

wow! I did it! My first marathon. whoo hoo!

yes. there was pain afterwards.

I couldn't wait to eat!

capture a monster

I found this cute scrapbook idea on the Creative Home Atrs website. Now if I could only find the time to get it done!

 

Capture A Monster—on a Scrapbook Page!

A child is rarely cuter than at Halloween, so why not make a tradition of recording the fun, as well as that great costume you probably made!

The first thing is to get the right photos. Take several pictures, with different views and expressions. Kids get right into character when they put on their costume so, depending on the outfit, ask them to roar, dance, fly, or whatever. Capture their personalities.

Then include a few words or, even better, a quote. (As we all know, kids say the darnedest things, right?) If you want, you can even add sound to your page so you can play back that oh-so-terrifying growl.

Finally, add a pocket or envelope for journaling. It can be as simple as a photo or square of paper glued down on three sides. You can even turn the whole page into a pocket by cutting 1/4" off the top edge of the page and gluing the sides and bottom to another sheet of the same size paper. Glue a tab to the top edge of your journaling page so it's easy to pull out.

Be sure you and your little monster remember this "let's pretend" holiday forever—and pass on the page idea to other monster lovers!

Fire Chief

Meet the new fire chief in town, Sgt. Caligator Calison Dalessandro. I'll have to do a bit of back tracking, but Cali is about to be an official member in the Dalessandro family. She has been with us since September 22nd, and this weekend I filled out the paperwork to complete the adoption. Cali was the dog of a soldier who was deployed to Iraq. I pray he will be able to stay stong and defend our country with pride. I wish I could let him know that the dog he had to leave behind has found a home where she is loved and cared for. I hope he knows that we are not only appreciative of his gift of a dog, but his gift of defending this great nation. Thank you soldier.

So, Cali is showing her gratitude to service by being a fire cheif this Halloween.

(side note: WHOO HOOO!!!! I FINALLY have a dog I can dress up!)

Cali is 9 mo old now and is begining to get settled into our house. We still have a long way to go in puppy training, but she is definately a smart dog and I hope will prove to become a wonderful and much needed addition to our family.

 

TGIT

Thursday couldn't come quick enough, I'm so happy because tomorrow is Friday. I think I have post marathon downers. I've run a few times but everything is an effort. I received a comp 1/2 hr massage from my friendly chiro Dr. Darren today. That was a great pick me up. But I put it down on the black hole of papers that live on my table and now I will have to fight off the wild ravaging pack of papyrus before I can use it. Ah, life. Always a struggle but never dull.